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game of thrones - Why did Arya shortened her kill list so much in season 6? Or did she lie?


As per this Arya / Hound dialogue , Arya tells the Hound her kill list:
- Walder Frey
- Meryn Trant
- Tywin Lannister
- Melisandre
- Beric Dondarrion

- Thoros of Myr
- Ilyn Payne
- Gregor Clegane
- The Hound
- Cersei Lannister
- Joffrey Baratheon


As per this Arya / Waif dialogue at 2:10 Arya only says:
- Cersei Lannister
- Gregor Clegane
- Walder Frey



waif: "That is a short list. That can't be everyone you want to kill. Are you sure you are not forgetting someone?"
Arya: "Which name would you like a girl to speak?"


Did Arya actually fail this test? Did the waif know Arya was lying about the length of her list and then started testing her by using the second person pronoun, you. And Arya did respond to you. Previously, Arya only talked about herself in the third person.


Or, had Arya's feelings actually changed? Realizing she was too blood thirsty, she had shortened her kill list even before going to Braavos?


And, what did Gregor Clegane ever do to House Stark? Why is he on the shortened kill list? Tywin did order him to raid the Riverlands in season 1, and House Tully is from the Riverlands, and Arya's mother is from House Tully... so is that why Arya hates the Mountain more than even Joffrey? Tywin? (Arya could not know that they are both dead)


Addendum
Unlike her killing of Meryn Trant, I bet Arya now has "permission" to assassinate Cersei, the Mountain, and Walter Frey. After all, she was not whacked for saying those 3 are on the kill list.



Answer



No, she didn't shorten it. When outside the House of Black and White at the beginning of season five, she recites four names over and over: Cersei, The Mountain, Meryn Trant, Walder Frey. At the end of season five Arya...




kills Meryn Trant.



...meaning her list of three names in season six was accurate.


Arya knew that Joffrey was dead because she met a criminal called Rorge when travelling with the Hound, this criminal was also in the cage with Jaqen H'ghar when they first met. He was the one that told them that Joffrey was dead. As for Tywin Lannister, I'm not certain, but I think it stands to reason that she overheard it from the Lannister soldiers while she was tailing Meryn Trant.


Melisandre, Beric Dondarrion, Thoros of Myr, and Ilyn Payne were crossed off the list, seemingly because it was just convenient to the plot. We need Melisandre alive, Thoros and Beric are no longer relevant, and the actor of Ilyn Payne took time off from the series during his treatment for and recovery from life-threatening cancer.


Ser Gregor was on the list because he was with the group of soldiers who captured Arya and her friends and took her to Harrenhal.


When the Waif asks Arya if she is forgetting a name, she is talking about Meryn Trant.


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